Foldable cabinet



April 26,- 1960 Filed June 25, 1956 H L. KREY FOLDABLE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HHRoLD L. KREY ATTORNEY April 26, 1960 H. KREY 2,934,339

FOLDABLE CABINET Filed June 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHROLD KREY BYX ATTORNEY FOLDABLE CABINET Harold L. Krey, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Livingston & Io., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvanra Application June 25 1956, Serial No. 523,653

1 Claim. (Cl. 312-262) is to provide a storage cabinet constructed entirely of sheet metal wherein the back, front and opposite side walls thereof are hinged together along its four vertical United States Patent O corners and the side walls themselves are each formed 7 of a pair of hingedly connected panels designed to permit folding of the side walls inwardly toward each other for disposition between the back and front walls of the cabinet when the latter is collapsed into its folded condition, thereby providing a substantially flat, exceedingly compact unit.

An important object of the invention also is to provide a'foldable, all-metal cabinet of the character above do scribed having top and bottom walls which are removan all-metal construction of cabinet which is designed when expanded into form for use to removably receive intermediate article-receiving shelves or the like and/or transversely extending rods from which articles may be hung within the cabinet, each such shelf and/or hanger rod serving in itself as a means for bracing and rigidifying the expanded cabinet and being of such shape and design as to permit storage thereof within the interior of the cabinet when'the latter is folded into flat shape for storage and transport purposes.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an all-metal construction of cabinet of the characterrabove described which is readily adapted to be set up into form for use and collapsed for storage or transport and whereinall of its removable parts, to wit, the top and bottom walls, the shelves and the hanger rod may be readily assembled with and disassembled from the expanded cabinet structure, all without the use of special tools or securing devices.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter, itbeing understood that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as described in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a cabinet embodying the principles of the present invention, the cabinet being shown in fully expanded condition, with parts broken away to expose others;

ice

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cabinet shown in Figure 1, the top and bottom walls of the cabinet being shown detached from the upright walls thereof, and the latter being shown in collapsed condition;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the cabinet shown in Figure 1, one door being shown open and the other closed;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4. of Figure 3; p

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the hanger incorporated in the cabinet shown in Figure 1.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 through 6, the front wall of the cabinet includes arigid frame formed of sheet metal to provide a horizontally extending sill 10, a pair of vertically extending opposite side jambs 11-11, a horizontally extending header 12, and a vertically extending mullion 13 which is centrally located between the jambs 11-11. The members 10, 11--11, 12 and 13 conjointly define a pair of openings that respectively accommodate a pair of doors 1414 which are hung on hinges 15, the latter being carried by the jambs 1111.

The sill 10 has an upright front wall 16 and a horizontal upper wall 17 that extends rearwardly from the front wall 16 and which terminates in a depending lip 18. Each of the jambs 1111 has a front wall 19 and a side wall 20 that extend respectively from an upright corner of the cabinet respectively in the direction of the cabinet width and depth. The header 12 has an upright front wall 21 and a horizontal upper wall 22 that ex tends rearwardly from the front wall 2 1 and which terminates in a depending lip 23. A substantial distance below the header 12 and to the rear of the mullion 13 is a horizontally extending brace 24, the opposite end portions of which are rigidly connected to corresponding portions of the jambs 1111. This brace 24 has an upright front wall 25 and a horizontal upper wall 26 that extends rearwardly from the front wall 25 and which terminates in a depending lip 27. The sill lip 18, header lip 23 and brace lip 27 are disposed in coplanar relation, and the vertically extending rearmost edges of the jamb side walls 2020 are disposed proximate the plane of the lips aforesaid.

The sheet metal side walls of the cabinet extend respectively from the jambs 11-11 to the rear wall and from the base to the top of the cabinet, each comprising a fore panel 28 that is connected to the associated jamb side wall 20 by a continuous hinge 29, and a rear panel 30 that is connected to the sheet metal back or rear wall 37 of the cabinet by a continuous hinge 31, the panels 28 and 30 being connected together by a continuous hinge 32. These panels 28 and 30 are each of one-piece sheet metal construction, and the hinges 29, 31 and 32 that secure the panels 28 and 30 together and respectively to the front and rear walls of the cabinet are equally spaced and parallel to one another.

At the top of each side wall section 28 and 30 is a horizontally extending cleat 33 that is longitudinally crimped to provide an upper section 34 which is offset from a lower section 35. This lower section 35 is secured fiatwise against the inner face of the supporting side wall section to thereby position the upper section 34 inwardly from the supporting sidewall section, whereby there is formed a horizontally extending upwardly facing open pocket 36. At the top of the back or rear wall of the cabinet, designated 37, is a cleat 38 that is formed similarly to the cleats 33, the upper and lower sections thereof being designated respectively and 40 and the pocket formed thereby conjointly with the rear wall 37 being designated 41.

Carried by the cleats 33 and 38 is the top wall of the cabinet in the. form of a substantially flat sheet metal panel 42 having four depending flanges, the opposite side flanges, designated 43-43, being snugly fitted into the pockets 36, and the rear flange, designated 44, being similarly received by the pocket 41. designated 45, abuts the header lip 23. When the flanges 43-43 and 44 are fully projected into the pockets 36 and 41, the horizontally extending main body of the top wall is disposed in coplanar relation to the upper wall 22 of the header 12. The four corners of the sheet 42 are trimmed, as at 46, to clear the hinges 29-29 and 31-31.

Associated with the brace 24 is a second sheet metal panel 42 that is also mounted by cleats 33, 33 and 38 respectively'spaced below those which support the top panel 42 and which serves as a shelf. The fore flange 45 of this shelf panel abuts the brace lip 27, and the main body thereof is disposed in coplanar relation to the upper wall 26 of the brace 24.

At the base of the cabinet is the cabinet bottom wall in the form of a third sheet metal panel 42 that is also supported upon the cabinet back and side walls by cleats 33, 33 and 38. The fore flange 45 of this sheet metal bottom wall 42 abuts the sill lip 18, and the main body thereof is disposed in coplanar relation to the upper wall 17 of the sill 10. V yExtending horizontally across the cabinet, just below the shelf 42, is a hanger bar 47 that has opposite ends secured to opposed portions of the side wall sections 28-28, proximate the hinges 32-32. .The opposite end portions of the bar, designated 48-48, turn out of the plane of the main body of the bar, and each freely projects forwardly between the associated side wall 28 and a bracket 49 that is secured to the associated side wall 28. The brackets 49-49 are provided respectively with lateral extensions 50-50 that turn over the back of the bar 47 and secure the bar against displacement from the brackets.

Referring particularly to Figure 2, when the cabinet is collapsed, the side walls thereof fold inwardly toward one another, the side wall sections 28 and 30 on each side of the cabinet pivoting about the axes of the hinges 29, 31 and 32 to positions wherein they are disposed in mutually overlying relation and sandwiched between the front and rear walls of the cabinet. condition of the cabinet, the folded side walls do not extend inwardly a distance suflicient for overlying any part of the several horizontally extending cleats 38 that are'carried by the rear wall 37, in consequence of which these cleats 38'and the several cleats 33 that are carried by the rear side wall sections 30-30 are disposed sub stantially in a common plane, in non-overlapping relation, whereby the bulk of the collapsed cabinet is reduced to a minimum. The lateral exensions 50-50 of the brackets 49-49 extend freely into the front wall of the cabinet so as not to interfere with collapse of the cabinet to its minimum bulk. For packaging and shipping purposes, the top wall, shelf, bottom wall and hanger rod may be stored within the cabinet, in its fully collapsed condition. I

To expand the cabinet and set it up for use, the side walls are unfolded and the front and rear walls are separated the greatest possible distance. Then the top wall, shelf and bottom walls are operatively positioned. This is effected by placing the several depending flanges of each member in registryrespectively with the associated upwardly facing pockets 36 and 37 and then pressing these flanges into the pockets aforesaid, in which pockets they are snugly removably secured.

Finally, the hanger bar 47 is operatively positioned by placing the same to the rear of the brackets 49-49 with theopposite end portions 48-48 of the bar each in The fore flange,

registry with the associated opening conjointly formed by the bracket 49 and the supporting side wall section 28. Then the bar 47 is pulled forwardly so that the opposite end portions 48-48 thereof are projected freely through the openings aforesaid and until the main body of the bar abuts the lateral extensions 50-50 of the brackets 49-49, whereupon the lateral extensions 50-50 are turned over the back of the bar 47 to secure the bar against displacement from the brackets 49-49. The hanger bar 47 coacts withthe top wall, shelf and bottom wall to rigidify the cabinet and maintain it in its expanded condition. Of course, the bar 47 may be removed again if the lateral extensions 50-50, aforesaid are first turned back to their initial positions.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention as hereinbefore described and shown in the ac companyingdrawings is suceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit of the invention, and, accordingly, it is intended to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claim.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

A cabinet comprising upright back, front and sectional side walls, a horizontally extending rectangular top wall carried by the upright walls aforesaid, said back wall and said side wall sections each being a single sheet of undeformed sheet metal extending from top to bottom of said cabinet, said back wall extending the full width of the cabinet, the side wall sections on each side of said cabinet conjointly extending in the direction of the depth of the cabinet substantially the full distance intervening said front and rear walls, said front wall being a door equipped rigid frame of sheet material, the side wall sections next to said back wall being hinged thereto for pivotal movement about axes respectively disposed closely in the vertically extending rear corners of the cabinet, the side wall sections next to said front wall being hinged thereto for In this collapsed pivotal movement about axes respectively disposed closely in the vertically extending fore corners of the'cabinet, and the side wall sections on each side of said cabinet being hinged together for pivotal movement relative to one another about axes disposed equidistantly between said front and rear walls whereby to render the same foldable inwardly upon one another, said front and rear walls being operative to move toward one another to accommodate said side walls when they are folded in the manner aforesaid, and said top wall being of one-piece sheet metal construction with peripherally extending flanges removably fitted snugly respectively in open pockets extending about the inner sides of said upright walls, whereby to secure said side walls against folding and said cabinet against collapsing, and a cabinet bracing assembly including a pair of strap metalpocket forming brackets carried respectively by said side walls a substantial distance below the top of the cabinet, each adjacent the meeting edges of the associated side wall sections, a bar having a main body portion bridging said side walls, and opposite terminal portions turned laterally in the same direction from the main body of said bar and slidably fitted respectively into said pockets for abutting respectively the opposite side walls aforesaid, and lateral extensions of said brackets turned over the main body part of said bar for releasably securing the latter against displacement from said brackets, said bar rigidifying said cabinet by preventing facing side-wall sections from folding inwardly toward each other when said cabinet is in its set-up form.

Thoroman Sept. 1,1908 Johnson et al July 12, 1910 (Other references on'following page) 9 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Benson July 12, 1910 Franks Oct. 13, 1914 Rouse Dec. 21, 1915 Graham June 12, 1928 Levine July 30, 1929 Card et a1 Nov. 12, 1929 Blechman Feb. 15, 1944 Brown et a1 Sept. 5, 1944 6 Vanderveld Mar. 15, 1949 Cummings Jan. 29, 1952 Du Boff June 10, 1952 Frerking Aug. 20, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 28, 1913 Australia Mar. 14, 1941 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1938 

